1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to building and construction and, more particularly, to a bracket for holding a pipe in a predetermined position during the pouring of a concrete foundation and thereafter serving as a nail shield for the pipe and/or as a structural tie or strap in constructing a wall on the foundation.
2. Related Art
Various techniques are employed for holding embedded pipes in position during the pouring of concrete slab foundations. Such pipes have, for example, been attached to stakes driven into the ground or to form boards which contain the concrete and support it while it hardens and sets. However, attaching pipes directly to the form boards or to blocks attached to the form boards can leave portions of the pipes exposed when the form boards are stripped from the foundation and can also lead to misalignment of the pipes in walls built on the foundation.
Brackets have also been provided for holding pipes in spaced relation to form boards so they can be fully embedded in the concrete, and examples of such brackets are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,619 and 6,672,029. These brackets are of limited application in that they are removed after the concrete has set and serve no function other than holding the pipes in position during the pouring and hardening of the concrete.